Vanderbilt baseball team prepares for intrasquad series

Vanderbilt's Zander Wiel could play first base or designated hitter during the Black & Gold series.

The weather has turned a little cold for baseball, but fall practice for coach Tim Corbin's team is heating up at Hawkins Field.

Vanderbilt begins its annual Black & Gold series at 4 p.m. today with the first of five scrimmages lasting seven innings each. Tyler Beede (gold) and T.J. Pecoraro (black) are the scheduled pitchers.

Games will follow at 4 p.m. Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with a 1 p.m. Sunday matinee. Admission is free. The intra-squad series consisted of three nine-inning scrimmages in the past.

"We figured if we had the innings and we were capable of doing it (health-wise), we would just increase the games," Corbin said. "We started so late in the fall, it gives us the opportunity to play right up until Thanksgiving. So the cushion time from the end of Thanksgiving until the time we start in January is less, so I like this."

Corbin said his younger players are having a hard time seeing the "light at the end of the tunnel" with all of the training but no real games until February, so the Black & Gold series will provide a forum for some competition. He added that several positions in the lineup and rotation remain undetermined given the Commodores' depth and talent.

"As far as spots being settled, I don't know because you have to see who's hot in the spring," sophomore first baseman/designated hitter Zander Wiel said. "But guys could put their name in the running and put their name as maybe that top guy."

Vanderbilt is coming off a 54-12 campaign in which in set the record for SEC regular-season wins (26) before bowing out to Louisville in the Nashville super regional.

- Jeff Lockridge

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Vanderbilt baseball team prepares for intrasquad series

The annual Black & Gold series for the Vanderbilt baseball team will begin today at Hawkins Field.